Cigarette holder



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verse section as in the Patented Dec. 28, 1926..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. DE LONG, 01? PHILADEL PHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIGARETTE HOLDER.

Application filed September 25, 1925. Serial No. 58,483.

in which the cigarette may be inserted without the necessity of shaping it with the A further object of my invention is to provide a cigarette holder havlng the aforesaid characteristics which is capable of use in such manner that the unlighted end of the retained cigarette may be introduced between the smokers lips and held thereby in the ordinary way in which clgarettes are smoked when no holder is employed or else may be housed within the holder in such manner that the latter alone will come into contact with the lips so that the objection which many people have to smoking cigarettes on account of the contact of the paper wrapping with the lips may be avoide A still further object of my invention is to provide a cigarette holder which in cer tain of its forms is particularly adapted for ladies use, being small, attractive in appearance and occupying but little space in the handbag or other receptacle in which articles of this character are ordinarily carried by ladies, while by its use, any staining of the gloves or'fingersis avoided. Ad-

ditionally, the use of my improved holder by both men and women smokers contributes materially toreduce the risk of fire from the lightedacigaretteuas will herein- V aftermore fully appear.

Further advantages of -my improved holder: reside in itsfreedonr from odor which in the ordinary type of cigarette holder isv almost always present due to the;

accumulation ofltobacco ioil, nicotine and the like in thesmoke passage of the holder so {that when the latter is carried in- .the pocket or handbag a veryunpleasant odor is communicated to the clothing or to the coni tents jof-the bag, a result, which is entirely avoidedby the use of my; improvediholder.

My invention further includes other objects, advantages and novel features of design, construction and arrangement hereinafter more partlcularly referred to or whlch will be apparent .from the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated several types of holders constructed in accordance with my invention, certain of the figures being particularly intended to illustrate various ways of using the holder.

In anapplication for U. S. Letters Patent Serial No. 54,403, filed by me September 4, 1925, I disclosed a holder embodying a cigarette holding aperture of cylindrical cross section and havin a slight longitudinal taper from one of its ends to the other whereas the present invention contemplates the provision of a holder, the cigarette holding aperture of which is circular in cross section at one end and elliptical in cross section at the other, both ends of the aperture being open and its diameter at its circular end approximating that of largest r-ound cigarettes which are in common use while at its other or elliptical end the major and minor axes of the ellipse thereby defined substantially approximate corresponding dimensions of the largest brands of cigarettcs of oval or elliptical cross section which are in common use. Thus as in the case of the holder forming the subject of application Serial No. 54,403, it will be understood that the cigarette holding aperture-may be provided and defined by the employment of a hollow tube of suitable size and shape as in the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 1' to 9. inclusive of the accompanying drawing or under certain conditions the apertpre may be formed without the employment of a tube by proto Fig. lshowing the holder containinga cigaretteof initially elliptical cross section; Fig.3 is an end-elevation of the holder;

show -in :Eigs. '1 and 2.as,l it appears when viewed in the direction, of the elliptical end and Figv-4 is a silnilar viewtas'theholdeu appears when viewed in the direction of its circular end. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a holder of the'type illustrated in the preceding figures in operative position upon the hand. Fig. 6 is a vertical central sec tion of a holder of slightly modified form from that shown in the preceding figures; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another slightly modified form of holder applied to a fountain pen or other similar article; Fig. .8 is a sideelevation showing a form of the invention suitable for attachment to a lead pencil or the like; Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a holder similar to that shown in Fig. 7 lying on a desk or table and partially projecting over the edge thereof, and Fig. 10 1s a perspective view showing still another form of the invention.

More specifically and referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the same comprises a hollow tube 1 preferably having a fairly thin wall and*- at one end 2 of circular cross section, the diameter of the interior of the tube at this point substantially conforming to that of the largest cigarette of circular cross section which is in common use. At its other end 3 the tube is of elliptical cross section with its major axis extending horizontally when in upright position as shown in said figures, the major and minor axes of the ellipse defined by the tube at this pointsubstantially approximating the length of the corresponding axes of the largest cigarette of similar cross section which is in common use. It will thus be understood that as the minor axis of the elliptical end of the tube provided with outwardly directed peripheral flanges 2 and 3, thus providing a neat finish at these points.

In the particular form of the invention now being described, the tube is rigidly mounted on supporting means which may take the form of a hollow thimble or cone 4 preferably closed at its smaller end upon which the tube is mounted and open at the other, the thimble being of decreasing diameter from said open end toward the tube and adapted to seat'upon the end of the users finger as illustrated in Fig. 5. It

,-will of course be understood that when the feminine use or, if desired, the holders may I tube relatively short so that when the ciga rette is therein inserted a minimum amount thereof will lie within the tube. If desired, the lower end of the .support may be provided with a finishing band or ring 5 or the metal may be turned over on itself as in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 to provide a finish at this point. I

When it is desired to use the holder the support may be rasped by the fingers of one hand and the end of the cigarette C inserted in that end of the tube which most closely. corresponds in shape with the shape of the cigarette; thus. When a round cigarette is to be employed, the end of the latter is preferably inserted in the round end of the tube and when an oval cigarette is to be employed the latter will preferably be inserted in the elliptical end of the tube. Thereafter the cigarette is pushed longitudinally into the tube for the requisite distance to project the leading end of the cigarette through the other end of the tube suificiently to enable it to be grasped by the lips if the cigarette is to be smoked in that manner .or only par-.

tially through the tube as shown in Fig. 7 it the smoker wishes to prevent the end of the cigarette from coming into contact with his lips. By reason of the peculiar shape of the tube it is to be noted that when a round cigarette is pushed into the round end 2, the leading end'of the cigarette will at some point between the ends of the tube begin to assume a somewhat elliptical shape and thereafter progressively conform more. and more thereto as the cigarette is pushed further into the tube so that the end of the cigarette finally emerges from the end 3 with a substantially oval or elliptical cross section as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, whereas when an initially oval cigarette is inserted into-the end 3 of the tube and pushed toward the other end thereof the leading end of the cigarette tends to assume a substantially cylindrical shape as best shown in Fig. 2. After the cigarette has been inserted in the holder in the manner aforesaid it will thereafter remain securely in position therein through the frictional and to some extent compressive engagement of the wall of the tube'withthe cigarette, irrespective of slight variations in its initial size and even though the cigarette, owing to its being of relatively small size, may be out of contact with the tube in the vicinity of loo . with my invention may be used either to perthe end thereof; thus the holder is adapted for use with substantially all sizes and shapes of commercial cigarettes and avoids the necessity for forming the end of the cigarette in the fingers before inserting itin the holder as the tube of the latter is adapted to conveniently receive either at one end or the other cigarettes of the principal crosssectional shapes and sizes 1n common use and to thereafter securely retain them in although ordinarily the holder will be turned to a position substantially corresponding to that shown in said figure, as under such conditions it is extremely awkward to thereafter bring the hand into a position in which the lighted end of the cigarette is likely to contact with the clothing of the smoker; this feature is particularly advantageous when the holder is being used by ladies as it minimizes the danger of thin and inflammable dresses being ignited by accidental contactof the lighted end of the cigarette therewith.

When the cigarette is projected entirely through the holder so that the unlighted end 0 extends beyond the adjacent-end of the tube as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the unlighted end itself will be inserted between and more or less grasped by the lips while the cigarette is being smoked but, as is well known, many smokers object to contact of a cigarette with their .lips. My improved holder, however, may be'used with entire satisfaction by this class of smokers andin such manner as to completely prevent such contact by inserting the end C of the cigarette into the holder for a short distance only insteadof projecting it entirely therethrough in which position the'cigarette will, by reason of the frictional engagement of r the wall of the aperture therewith,-be secure- 1y retained in posititm so that during the .7 smoking operation the lips will come into contact solely with the en of the tube itself instead of with the projecting end of the cigarette. This manner of inserting the cigarette in the holder is indicated in Fig. 7 in which the end C is shown as located about midway between the ends of the tube. Consequently a holder constructed in accordance mit or prevent contact between the end of the cigarette and the lips and thus presents a distinct advantage over holders hitherto in use and which comprise a cavity for holding the end of the cigarette from which extends a smoke passage of'relatively small diameter terminating in the mouthpiece of the holder for such holders cannot be used soas to allow the cigarette proper to be inserted between the smokers lips which is a condition desired by many cigarette smokers; additionally, in such holders the relatively long smoke passage of reduced diameter provides a receptacle for the accumulation of oil of tobacco, nicotine, saliva and the like which dries in the passage, making the holder unsanitary and emitting an unpleasant odor and taste. These undesirable conditions can never occur in my improved holder for even when the latter is used for holding cigarettes in the manner shown in Fig. 7 the larger diameter andrelatively short length of the tube allow it to dry 'out quickly after smoking and are also inimical to the collection of any deposits either of the products induced by combustion of the cigarette'or of saliva so that at all times the holder is clean, sanitary and devoid of odor or taste.

Instead of keeping the holder constantly on the smokers finger when inuse it may be readily removed therefrom and stood on a supporting surface, such as a table, desk orthe like indicated as T in Fig.' 1, so as to stand in an upright position and maintain the lighted cigarette substantially horizontal and elevated above the supporting surface.

Thus the lighted end of the cigarette is always maintained out of contact both with the supporting surface and with papers or the like which may be lying upon it so that therisk of fire from the inadvertent laying down of a lighted cigarette either by itself or when in a holder of the ordinary construction is entirelyavoided, for no matter how far the cigarette in my improved holder may burn down when the latter is standing on a supporting surface the end of the cig arette is always out of contact therewith.

In Fig. 6 I- have shown a form of my invention slightly different from that to which reference has hitherto been made, the tube 6 in this instance being inserted through 1 the wall of the conic-a1 hollow support 7 instead of mounted upon the end thereof, the endsof the tube 8, 8 being preferably flanged or swedged over against the outer face of the support so as to maintain the tube firmly in position. As shown, the open .end ofthe support is rolled over as at 9 Ill" to provide a finish or it may be provided with a finishing band at this point if desired. The manner of using this form of the invention is similar to that of the form shown in Figs. '1 to 5 as will be readily understood.

My invention readily lends itself to employment with-supports of other sorts than those intended to be disposed on the smokers finger and in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive I have indicated two such modified forms of the invention. Thus, as shown in Figs. 7- and 9 a tube 10 corresponding to the tubes hitherto referred to may be mounted on a cylindrical upon the end of the cap 12 of a fountain pen P, conveniently by crimping the support onto the cap. A' somewhat similar arrangement is shown in Fig. 8 in which the tube l3 is mounted on the end of a hollow support l l adapted to seat over the end of a lead pencil 'P, the support being preferably slotted as at I5 in the well known way so that it will be capable of slight expansion and contraction when being slipped over'or removed from the end of the pencil. These forms of my invention are particularly advantageous in that the pen, pencil orother similar article may be laid horizontally on a desk or table S'or the like with the end on which the holderis disposed overhanging the edge thereof asshown in Fig. 9. It very frequently happens when cigarettes are being smoked without holders or with holders of ordinary construction that they are laid down on the desk or table so that the lighted end initially projects far enough thereover to prevent the scorching of the desk but as the cigarette burns-down the smoker forgets to change its position so that in a short time the fire reaches the desk and burns the same or ignites papers in its vicinity. This can never occur when my improved holder is being used for if it is once initially placed so that the cigarette projects over the edge of the support S the lighted end of the cigarette can never come into contact therewith irrespective of whether the cigarette is pointed down as shown in Fig. 9 or pointed in any other direction.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a still further modified form of my invention which comprises a support*16 mounted on a base or pedestal 17 to extend vertically upward therefrom. 'At the upper end of the support is provided a transversely extending aperture 18 whose axis may besubstantially at right angles to that of the support and whose wall is shaped in correspondence with the shape of the interior surface'of the tubes to which reference has hitherto been made, the aperture of course extending entirely through the support and being adapted to receive and hold a cigarette in the manner hitherto described. This form of the invention is particularly intended foruse at dinner parties or the like as the smoker may forms of my invention to which I have referred are capable of manufacture in metal,

they may. also be formed with equal facility from other materials such as china, glass, bakelite orthe like, either by moldlng or It will be apparent that while the various may be mounted on the end of the lipstick holder in a manner similar to that shown in Figs. 7 to 9 or the end of the lipstick holder or other article may itself be provided with a transverse aperture in the manner similar to that shown in Fig. 10.

WVhile I have described certain forms of my invention with considerable particularity I do not thereby desire or intend to limitqnyself specifically thereto as suitable modifications may be made and the details of design, construction and arrangement altered from the precise embodiments shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

- Having thus described my invention, I-

claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States: v

1. A device of the class described comprising means defining an aperture open at both ends, one of said ends being of circular cross section and the other end of elliptical cross section and either of said ends being adapted to receive a cigaretteof cross sectional shape corresponding thereto, the wall of the aperture being arranged to engage and frictionally support the cigarette whan projected into the aperture from either en 2. A device of'the class described com- I prising means defining an aperture open at bothends and adapted to receive and retain a cigarette, one end of the aperture being circular in cross section and the other end elliptical in cross section and the wall of the aperture gradually changing in shape from one endto the other so as to respectively conform thereto. a

3. A cigarette holder comprising a tube circular in cross section at one end and elliptical in cross section at the other and adapted to permit the passage of acigarette entirely therethrough from either end, and supporting means forthe tube comprising a thimble shaped member adapted to seat over the end of a persons finger.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of September 1925.

GEORGE a. DE LONG. 

